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James Gunn is addressing a conspiracy theory that claims he was aware of Henry Cavill’s Superman re-casting while promoting “The Suicide Squad.” Gunn has indicated in a Threads post that this timeline is implausible, as he did not lead DC Studios in 2021 when “The Suicide Squad” was released. It was only in December 2022 that DC Studios named Gunn and Peter Safran as the new heads.

Some DC enthusiasts have accused Gunn of deceit regarding Cavill’s departure from Superman following Nathan Fillion’s statement to Collider. Fillion recounted that during “The Suicide Squad” premiere party in 2021, Gunn hinted at his future role as Guy Gardner, also known as The Green Lantern, in an upcoming Superman film.

Fillion was quoted: “At the premiere party for ‘Suicide Squad,’ James Gunn was amidst a large crowd. When we spotted each other, I congratulated him on the film’s success. He asked if Peter [Safran] had mentioned our next project. I hadn’t heard, so he glanced around, ensuring privacy despite the crowd, and whispered, ‘You’re going to be Guy Gardner.'”

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Fillion’s statement sparked fan theories suggesting that Gunn was aware of his future role in taking over DC Studios and discontinuing Cavill’s Superman when he was promoting “The Suicide Squad” in 2021. Gunn had stated at that time he had no interest in leading DC, leading fans to accuse him of dishonesty. Gunn clarified that Fillion was mistaken, and their discussion about Guy Gardner occurred at the “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” party last year, after Gunn assumed control of DC with Safran.

A fan on Threads pointed out to Gunn a “popular conspiracy theory” that he had always intended to reboot DC and create his own Superman movie since being hired by Warner Bros.

Gunn expressed confusion over this on Threads, saying, “Aside from the fact that I had no desire to manage DC until Peter joined me, allowing him to handle executive tasks while I concentrated on the creative side, my engagement to write Superman was always meant to be, and was pitched as, a fresh Superman narrative. So why would I lie about not having such plans at the ‘Squad’ premiere, which would ultimately lead to the same outcome? How does this conspiracy theory even make sense?”

Cavill’s Superman return turned into a debacle in fall 2022 when he showed up as the Man of Steel in the post-credits scene of “Black Adam,” headlined by Dwayne Johnson. The moment heralded the return of Cavill’s iteration of the Man of Steel and set up a future in the DC Universe where he’d go toe-to-toe with Johnson’s Black Adam.

The actor confirmed in an Oct. 24, 2022 social media post that he would be returning as Superman in a new Warner Bros. movie following his cameo at the end of “Black Adam.” The actor wrote to his fans: “I wanted to make it official: I am back as Superman … Thank you for your support and thank you for your patience. I promise it will be rewarded.”

Cavill’s Superman return was short-lived. Just over a month later, Warner Bros. and DC Studios announced Gunn and Safran as the latter company’s new bosses. The duo were tasked with overhauling the DC Universe on the big screen, and their plan included bringing in a new Superman actor to anchor their universe. It was an especially tough blow for Cavill, who had exited his starring role on Netflix’s “The Witcher” presumably because his future appeared to include more Superman projects prior to Gunn and Safran’s hiring.

David Corenswet is officially taking over the role of Superman in a new film written and directed by Gunn. “Superman” will open in July 11, 2025.